We’ve debated many times what happened each year, but somehow or other apart from Covid in 2020, since 1999 there has been a Coup – though which year it became “The Coup” is debatable – 1999, 2000 or 2001?
In the early 90’s (1993?) the Kilarney Cruise had around 10 of us taking the Swansea Cork Ferry for a long(ish) weekend staying in Kenmare and playing at Killarney golf course itself.
In 1995 or 96, Bill Cunningham, Steve Tringham and Mike McCue went to Cognac staying at Richard and Jean Strickland’s “Les Hiboux” near Jarnac in the Cognac region. This gestated into a wider golf trip 3 years later in 1999.
Bill Cunningham bought the original trophy at a shop in Jarnac either in 1999 or more likely in 2001. Mike Byrne can provide a potted history of the current Coup – but see the 2003 Evreux posts for some photos. The original was, purportedly stolen from Mount Wolsey in Ireland – and unlike the world cup in 1966, did not turn up in a Garden in Crystal Palace (or anywhere else).
These webpages were set up for the 2011 and 13th Coup, the second in Cascais which is the ninth different location and 5th Country in which the Coup has taken place.
In 2012, we returned to Ireland to remember our friend Sean. Since then until 2021, Portugal has been the venue at Vilamoura in the Algarve, then Sesimbra south of Lisbon and in Tavira from 2016-2019
In 2017, Malcolm obtained a replacement Coup – an amazing Brandy bottle used with its equally amazing contents in 2017 and with some high quality whiskey in 2018.
The new Coup
2019 was the 20th anniversary of the “Coup” though its predecessors go back further.
“The Glue”r!
In 2021 Mike Byrne joined us, to the surprise of some of us produced the apparently missing “glue de Jarnac” – see the photo on the right.
The names I can recall of attendees, roughly in sequence of the year they first made an appearance, so far are below. If I’ve missed anyone, let me know.
Bill Cunningham
Gerry Canavan
Malcolm Mitchell
Mark Linzey
Mike McCue
Sean Gleeson
Steve Tringham
Brian Peters
Ken Cooper
Mike Byrne
Graham Jarrald
Mike Kelly
David Kent
Gavin Parker
Dean Johnson
Mick Edwards
Peter Wilkie
Enda Burns
Wayne Comerford
John Boylan
Paul Tarbox
Damien Grouse
I hope others will want to contribute, just let me know if you do!